Head-piece for stringed musical instruments.



m. 78,390. Patented Nov. II, I902.

' J. BRANDT.

HEAD PIECE F08 STRINGED IUSIOAL INSTRUMENTS.

(Applicstion filed In. 7, 1902.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES JOHN BRANDT, OF

PATENT CEEICE.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HEAD-PIECE FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,390, dated November1 1, 1902.

Application filed March 7, 1902. Serial No. 97,056. (No model.)

To all Lu/"tom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BRANDT, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois,have invented a new and useful Improvement in HeadPieces for StringedMusical Instruments, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in head-pieces fol-stringed musicalinstruments, such as mandolins and guitars; and the objects ofmyinvention are, first, to provide simple and durable means for mountingthe tuning-pins; second, to combine and arrange the parts of thetuning-pin mechanism within a small and compact space to permit theconstruction of anarrow-headed instrument, and thereby facilitate thefingering of the frets at the head of the instrument, and, third, toprovide surface-plates which may be readily secured to theinstrumentduring manufacture and serve to protect the faces and cornersof the head of the instrument. I attain these objects by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a topview of the head of an instrument embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is aView from beneath, showing the assembled parts of the tuning mechanism.Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views, on an enlarged scale, taken on thelines 3 3 and 4 4., respectively, Fig. 1. Fig. 5-is a side view of atuning-pin. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are sectional views taken transversely tothe head of the instrument, showing modified forms of thecornerplate andalso modifications in the underside of the instrument-head.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The head portion 1 of the instrument conmeets at the neck 2 to thefret-board 3, as shown in Fig. 1. The recesses 4 4 are formed in theupper part of said head portion, at the lateral edges thereof, and formchambers for receiving parts of the tuning mechanism. The corner-plates5 are strips of metal having rectangular bends, so that when invertedand placed over said recesses t said recesses are completely inclosed.Said corner-plates are of sufiicient length and width to have a hearingalong the top and side surfaces of the head portion and also extendbeyond the ends of the said recesses. Said plates are preferably letinto the head portion, so as to be flush with the surfaces thereof, andare secured thereto with screws 6 or similar fastenings. The innerplates 7 are also rectangular anglepieces and are so assembledrelatively to said corner-plates that the upper leg of the inner plateis adjacent to and beneath the upper leg of the corner-plate, while thedepending legs of said plates are parallel but non-adjacent to eachother. The depending legs of said inner plates are preferably adjacentto the inner walls of the recesses 4. The plates 5 and 7 are held intheir proper relative positions by means of the tuningpins 8 inconjunction with the gear-wheels 9. The cooperation of the parts is bestillustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. Said pins are provided with two annnlarportions 10 and 11, and plate 7 is apertured in such a manner as toreceive the upper and greater annular portion 11. Said inner platereceives the annular portion 10 in a similar manner, so that when plates5 and 7 are assembled and the tuning-pins inserted said plates areprevented from moving transversely to the axis of said pins. The shank12 of each tuning-pin is polygonal in cross-section, preferably square,and fits into the gear-wheel 9, which is apertured to receive it. Saidwheel is fastened to the shank of the tuning-pin by means of thetapsc'rew 13, and the parts are so proportioned that when assembled theannular portion 11 of the pin 8 bears upon the top of the inner plate 7,while the top of the gear-wheel 9 abuts against the lower surface of theannular portion 10. Said gear-wheel is of a diameter greater than theaperture in said inner plate, and therefore prevents the pin 8 fromrising from its seat; but the said annular portion 10 is thicker thanthe inner plate 7, so that the tightening of the wheel 9 on thetuningpin 8 does not prevent the free rotation of the pin in the plates5 and 7. It will thus be evident that the plates 5 and 7 are positivelyheld together without the use of extra parts and at the same time a firmbearing is provided for said pins. The tuning-pins are rotated andcontrolled by means of the worms 14, which have bearings in thedepending legs of the plates 5 and 7, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3.The portions within the bear- ICQ ings are of reduced diameter, therebyforming shoulders on the worms Which act as spreaders for holding saidplates apart. By preference a washer 15 is placed over the portion ofthe worm projecting beyond the inner plate 7, and when the extremity ofsaid worm is riveted over said washer said worm is permanently held inposition within said plate, but is free to rotate therein. The saidworms are rotated by means of the finger-pieces 16. The depending leg ofthe corner-plate may vary in depth. In Fig. Gsaid leg is shown to coverthe recess 4 and'extend slightly below the same, so as to lap over ontothe adjacent portion of the head of the instrument. In Figs. 7 and 8said depending legs are shown to extend to the bottom of the headportion 1.

If desired, the face-plates 17 17 may be placed upon the under surfaceof the head portion 1, as shown in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 8 is shown another modification, in which the plate 18 extendsentirely across upon the under surface of said head portion.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a head-piece for stringed musical instruments the combination of atuning-pin, a gear-wheel secured to said pin for controlling the same, aworm for operating said gearwheel, and two plates forming bearings forsaid worm, portions of said plates lying in contact with each other; andthe head of the tuning-pin and said gear-wheel being located on oppositesides of the contacting portions of said plates.

2. In a head-piece for stringed musical instruments the combination of atuning-pin having annular portions of different diameters; acorner-plate apertured to receive one of the annular portions of saidpin; an inner plate apertured to receive a second and smaller one of theannular portions of said pin, said corner and inner plates having theirapertured portions in contact with each other; a gear-wheel secured tosaid pin beneath said plates at a portion of said pin having a furtherreduced cross-sectional area whereby said pin is retained in positionwithin said inner plate; and means for operating said gear-wheel.

3. In a head-piece for stringed musical instruments, the combination ofa tuning-pin, a gear-wheel secured to said pin for controlling the same,a worm for operating the said gear-wheel, and two angle-plates formingbearings for said worm, the upper legs of said plates making surfacecontact with each other and the head of the tuning-pin and saidgearwheel being located on opposite sides of the contacting portions ofsaid plates.

4. In a head-piece for stringed musical instruments, the combination ofa tuning-pin having annular portions of different diameters; an outerangle-plate apertured to receive one of the annular portions of saidpin; an inner angle-plate apertured to receive the second and smallerone of the annular portions of said pin, said angle-plates having theirapertured portions making surface contact with each other; a gear-wh eelsecured to said pin beneath the said plates and a portion of said pinhaving a further reduced cross-sectional area whereby said pin isretained in position within said inner plate; and a worm for operatingthe said gear-wheel, said worm having hearings in the portions of saidangle-plates depending from the contacting portions thereof.

5. In a head-piece for stringed musical instruments, the combination oftwo plates each having substantially rectangular bends, one leg of eachplate being in contact with a leg of the other of said plates and saidplates having their remaining legs non-adjacent but parallel; atuning-pin; anda worm and gear for operating said pin, said non-adjacentlegs of said plates affording bearings for said 6. In a head-piece forstringed musical instruments, thecombination of two plates each havingsubstantially rectangular bends, one leg of each plate being in contactwith a leg of the other of said plates, and said plates having theirremaining legs non-adjacent; an instrument-head having a recess whereinthe inner of said plates is inclosed, the outer of said platescompleting the corner of said instru ment-h ead; a tuning-pinpenetrating the contacting portions of said plates; and means foroperating said tuning-pin.

7. In a head-piece for stringed musical i11- struments, the combinationof two plates having substantially rectangular bends, one leg of eachplate being in contact with a leg of the other of said plates, and saidplates having their remaining legs non-adjacent, but extending in thesame direction from the said contactingportions; atuning-pin penetratingthe contacting portions of said plates; a gearwheel secured to said pin;a worm for operating said wheel; apertures in the non-adjacent legs ofsaid plates; and bearings on said worms supported within the aperturesin said plates, said bearings having reduced diameters, whereby theportion of said worm extending between the non-adjacent legs of saidplates constitutes a spreader for preventing the nearer approach of saidnon-adjacent legs.

, JOHN BRANDT.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR M. 00X, SADIE WOLF.

